Trump signals support for extending nuclear arms limits with Russia

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Friday his support for maintaining the restrictions on U.S. and Russian strategic nuclear weapons outlined in the 2010 New START treaty, which is set to expire in February

Speaking to reporters before departing for Scotland, Trump emphasized the importance of the treaty, stating, “That’s not an agreement you want expiring. We’re starting to work on that.”

This marks the first time during his presidency that Trump publicly backed the treaty’s limits, which cap deployments at 1,550 strategic warheads on 700 delivery systems, including intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarines, and bombers.

"When you take off nuclear restrictions, that's a big problem," Trump said.

The New START treaty is the last standing arms control pact between the two nuclear superpowers. Although it was extended for five years by former U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2021, it cannot be prolonged further under current terms.

Previously, Trump had opposed a simple extension and instead pushed for a broader agreement that would also include China — a proposal Beijing rejected.

Despite his earlier stance, Trump has expressed interest in negotiating nuclear limits with both Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The backdrop of these developments is increasingly tense U.S.-Russia relations, strained further by Moscow's nuclear threats and advanced weapons development amid the war in Ukraine.

Experts warn that the expiration of New START could lead to an unchecked arms race, making it harder for both sides to assess each other's capabilities and intentions.

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